William s



(No Model.)

W. STEUER. y BOLTLBSS RAILWAY JOINT.

Patented June 9, 1885.V

IlNrrnD SrArnsl Barnier irren.

WILLIAM S. THAYER, OF OWEGO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF rI`O CHARLES M. HAYVOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

BOLTLESS RAI LWAY-JOINT.

siancrrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,641, dated :rune 9, 188s.

Application tiled February 14, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM S. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owego,

in the county of Tioga and State of New York,-

have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Boltless BailwayJoints; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,referencebe ing had to the annexed drawings, makingapart of this speciiication, and t'o the letters and ngures of reference marked thereon.

This invention is an improvement in railroad-rail joints, and has for an object to pro vide a simple construction by which to securely fasten the rails to a track-bed, and in such manner that anyone rail may be removed at will without disturbing the adjacent ones.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts,which will be hereinafter rst fully described, and then pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a section of a track having my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse section drawn through the rail andchair. Fig. 3 is a transverse section drawn through the rail and key. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the chair.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of theJkey, and E1g'."`6'

is a longitudinalsection cut through the chair and key. l

In carrying out myiuvention I provide the meeting ends of the rails A A with slots B B', which coincide when the rails are joined. The chair O is formed with the two side plates, D D, and an intermediate horizontal rib, E. The side plates, D D, are conformed at their upper portions to the web of the rail, and have their lower portions adapted to the base of the rail, beyond which they extend,v as shown in Fig. 2, and are provided in their outer ends with bolt-holes for the fasteningspikes. formed with reference to the rails that its side plates fit snugly into the hollow of the rail and against both sides thereof in such manner as to prevent all lateral vibration or movement of the ends of the rail, either jointly or independently. It will be noticed that the slot B is made sufficiently long in It will be seen that the chair is sov one end of the rail to wholly receive the rib of the chair, so that when such chair is moved back into such slot it will free the short slot B, and the joint will be released. When desired to remove a rail from between others, it is only necessary to unspike the chair and key at the two joints, remove the key, then adjust such chair into the longer slot of each joint,when the rail, on being unspiked, may be removed without disturbing either of the adjacent rails, as will be seen, whereas if the chair fully filled the slots in the ends of the rails one or the other ofthe adjacent rails would4 have to be removed before the intermediate one could be raised. The key F is formed with a head, G, and a shank, H. The shank H is adapted to be inserted through the slot B in rear of the chair, and to fill such slot in rthe adjustment of parts. (Shown in Fig. 6.)

The head of this key holds the key from movement through the slot, as will be understood from Fig. 3. I adapt the lower side of the shank to the base of the rail, beyond which it extends, and has a spike-opening, as shown. The upper side of the shank is conformed to that of the lower portions of sides D of the chair, so that the meeting portions of the chair and key will coincide and no shoulders be formed between them. It is preferred to use the key, because it operates to completely fill the long slot B', and in connection with the chair locks the rails, thus preventing the creeping of the rails frequently experienced in the use of the common fastenings. Also, by bolting this `key to the track I provide an additional security against any lateral movement of the rails. A plate, I, is placed underneath the rail and chair, to keep them from bedding in the tie. p

My invention will involve but a slight expense, and may be easily applied, and will render the joint iirm and secure. At the same time it will permit the ready removal of any one rail which may become broken or otherwise damaged,without any displacement of the adjacent rails, and it will also allow the rails to expand by heat and contract by cold.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

IOO

The combination, in a rail-joint, of the rails In testimony that I claim the above I have Y having in their meeting ends longitudinal hereunto subscribed my name in the presence ro coincident slots, the chair having side plates of two witnesses. and a central rib, and made of a length equal 5 to or less than one of the slots, and a lling- WILLIAM' S THAYER' key placed through and secured in the longer Witnesses: slot between the chair and the rear Wall of FRANK D. LvERMoRE, such slot, substantially as set forth; OTIS BEACH. 

